Tuch Trying To Stay Focused With Trade Rumors Swirling
Veteran winger is signed for another two years, making him an attractive deadline target
Tuch Trying To Stay Focused With Trade Rumors SwirlingWith three days left before the NHL Trade Deadline, Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adamas has not only been approached by contending teams about pending unrestricted free agents like Kyle Okposo and Erik Johnson but also about those with term remaining on their contract, such as leading scorer Casey Mittelstadt and winger Alex Tuch.
"I really haven't seen too much (trade chatter). I actually deleted Twitter earlier this year. So I really don't have time between multiple back-to-back (games), a newborn at home and not really surfing the web and seeing about trade deadline talks," Tuch said after practice on Tuesday. "It's the nature of the beast obviously, you know when the date is, you know what's going to happen. We're not in a position that we want to be in the standings, so obviously there's going to be a lot of names that are gonna be circulating and a lot of talks around people."
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in this week’s 32 Thoughts column suspected that the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers reached out to check on Tuch’s availability and that Adams rebuffed the inquiries.
"(Kevyn and I) had a couple of conversations, nothing too extensive. This time is very hectic for him." Tuch said. "It's not his job to be nice and to coddle us. It's his job to put the pieces together to make us a winning hockey team and you never know what'll happen. Unless you got a no-move clause, anyone can be traded on any given day and that goes for anyone throughout the league and that's part of our game."
Tuch has another two years remaining on his contract at a very affordable $4.75 million AAV, and although his production has dropped from a career-high 36 goals last season, the 27-year-old is a veteran who will be relied upon for a bigger leadership role with the likely departure of team captain Kyle Okposo before the 3 pm deadline on Friday.
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